Material: Wood, iron
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Height 8.5 cm, Width 12 cm, Length 26  cm
Order Number: MHSBRC1

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Bali.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Balinese Rice Cutter appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 4.5 cm (closed), Length 14
Order Number: MHSABBC1

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron, inlaid with silver and brass wire
Style: Upper Burma
Size: Height 4 cm (closed), Length 16 cm
Order Number: MHSABBC2

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

This cutter is inlaid with both silver and brass wire, on both sides of the body. According to Fraser-Lu (1994),  Min-dan village in Yamethin district, just south of Mandalay in Upper Burma, specialised in decorating betel nut cutters with inlaid silver designs.

The blades were first forged from rod iron bought nearby Pyaw-bwe, and the area to be decorated was then scored with marks made y a chisel.

Using tweezers, strands of silver wire were carefully placed in position before being hammered into the iron. The cutter was gently heated and lightly hammered to bond the silver into the iron.

Further working with a cold chisel removed any roughness and brought the fine details into relief.

The origin of this kind of work may be about the middle of the 18th century.

Such cutters were exported to India via Madras and were often wrongly thought to have been made in Madras and became known as Madras cutters.

Min-dan village was visited by E. N. Bell in 1907, who wrote:

“Another artistic development has its home in Minden Village, Yamethin District, where every household depends more or less on its smithy, though there are only a few professors of the particular art to be described, which consists of an inlay of silver wire upon an iron surface. 

The usual articles produced are ornamental dalwes or da-hmyaungs, scissors. katkyi, betel-cutters, kun-hnyat, hair-tweezers, hmwe-hnyat specimens of which are figured.

This industry is said to have had its origin five generations before Saya, whose son Saya Pyo, the chief local artist, turned out the articles shown in the illustrations.”

E.N. Bell I.C.S.; A Monograph on Iron and Steel Work in Burma.  
Rangoon, Superintendent, Government Printing Burma, 1907.

The design is a fanciful bird with spread wings and an extended tail.

Early 20th century.

Min-dan cutters are described in Burmese Crafts: Past and Present, Sylvia Fraser-Lu, Oxford University Press, 1994, p. 148. There is a similar example in Betel Cutters, From the Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Henry Brownrigg, Thames and Hudson, 1992 on page 94.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5 cm (closed), Length 16.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABBCU3

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

Early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 4 cm (closed), Length 17.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABBCU4

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

Early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: China
Size: Length: 30 cm
Order Number: MHSACRC1

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population.

According to archaeological records, rice was first domesticated in areas surrounding the Yangtze River Valley and the Yellow River around 7000 BC.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Chinese Rice Cutter 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: China
Size: Length: 15 cm
Order Number: MHSACRC2

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population.

According to archaeological records, rice was first domesticated in areas surrounding the Yangtze River Valley and the Yellow River around 7000 BC.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Chinese Rice Cutter 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze, iron
Style: India
Size: Height 5 cm (closed), Length 11
Order Number: MHSAIBC6

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

Silver and gold wire inlay is a Balinese speciality. The resulting pattern is often a swastika.

This Indian betel cutter is unusual.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Indian Betel Cutter 6 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: India
Size: Height 7 cm (closed), Length 17
Order Number: MHSAIBC7

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

Silver and gold wire inlay is a Balinese speciality. The resulting pattern is often a swastika.

This Indian betel cutter is unusual. Damascening is the art of engraving deep groves and hammering different metals, typically silver or gold,  into the grooves of a dark coloured metal (usually iron) to produce intricate patterns.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Indian Betel Cutter 7 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: India
Size: Height 10 cm (closed), Length 15
Order Number: MHSAIBC8

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

Silver and gold wire inlay is a Balinese speciality. The resulting pattern is often a swastika.

This Indian betel cutter is unusual.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Indian Betel Cutter 8 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: India
Size: Height 6.5 cm (closed), Length 14
Order Number: MHSAIBC9

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

This Indian betel cutter is unusual.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Indian Betel Cutter 9 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron, brass, wood
Style: Java, Indonesia
Size: Height 23 cm
Order Number: MHSABBP4

Betel chewing was widespread in Bali and offered to guests as a sign of welcome. It was – and is still – offered to the gods and ancestors in ceremonies.

The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime pots, hinged cutters , similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The betel pounder was like a mortar and pestle. It came in various sizes and its purpose was to crush the areca nut into a soft substance for the elderly or those who had no teeth and could not chew the hard nut. The pounder was a long metal instrument with a handle and sharpened tip, which pressed down on the nut inside a tall hollow cylinder.

About 50-60 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Javanese Betel Pounder 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 12 cm, Length 13.5  cm, Handle: Width 30 cm (top), 17 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSRC1

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

The design is a naga or water dragon. Many Borneo groups in Kalimantan represent the upper world god as a hornbill and the underworld goddess as a naga. Their dynamic opposition expresses their unity and source of life.

The hornbill is a large white and black bird with a striking red beak. For the Barito group, Borneo’s largest group, covering the southern half of the island,  it is the upperworld  male supreme deity. For the Iban of Sarawak, Kenyah and related groups of Sarawak and East Kalimantan it is the messenger of the remote high god.

The female water-dragon provides protection to mankind in everyday life. She guards the dead and eases the passage to the next life. She is portrayed in almost all artifacts from kitchen utensils to funerary monuments.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 12 cm, Length 23  cm, Handle: Width 11 cm
Order Number: MHSRC2

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

The carvings are the hornbill and naga or water dragon. Many Borneo groups in Kalimantan represent the upper world god as a hornbill and the underworld goddess as a naga. Their dynamic opposition expresses their unity and source of life.

The hornbill is a large white and black bird with a striking red beak. For the Barito group, Borneo’s largest group, covering the southern half of the island,  it is the upperworld  male supreme deity. For the Iban of Sarawak, Kenyah and related groups of Sarawak and East Kalimantan it is the messenger of the remote high god.

The female water-dragon provides protection to mankind in everyday life. She guards the dead and eases the passage to the next life. She is portrayed in almost all artifacts from kitchen utensils to funerary monuments.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood
Style: Lombok, Indonesia
Size: Height 17 cm, Handle: Width 15.5 cm (top), 10 cm (bottom), Length 19  cm,
Order Number: MHSLRC1

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

The handle is a naga or water dragon. The blade is missing.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Lombok.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Lombok Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: Lombok, Indonesia
Size: Height 8 cm, Handle: Width 10 cm (top), 6 cm (bottom), Length 13  cm
Order Number: MHSLRC2

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

The handle is a bird.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Lombok.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Lombok Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 9 cm, Length 35 cm, Width 7.5 cm
Order Number: MHSASB1

Filing and blackening of teeth at puberty took place in the Lampung region of South Sumatra. It demonstrated a marriageable age. These besihung collected soot from burned twigs. They are made from forged iron in the shape of a water buffalo, which is also similar to a symmetrical sailing ship. If the besihung is symmetrical, it is a female container and if it is asymmetrical it is a male container.

Blackening teeth stopped at the beginning of the 20th century. It was accompanied by ritual feasting and was associated with the supernatural. The metal container was pointed to the river and was moved downstream during the ceremony.

The ship shape is similar to the ship motifs on Sumatran textiles called tampan and pelapai. These are ceremonial cloths used during rites of passage. The ships symbolise the transitional aspect of the ceremony.

19th – early 20th century

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumatran Besihung 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 9 cm, Length 21.5 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSASB2

Filing and blackening of teeth at puberty took place in the Lampung region of South Sumatra. It demonstrated a marriageable age. These besihung collected soot from burned twigs. They are made from forged iron in the shape of a water buffalo, which is also similar to a symmetrical sailing ship. If the besihung is symmetrical, it is a female container and if it is asymmetrical it is a male container.

Blackening teeth stopped at the beginning of the 20th century. It was accompanied by ritual feasting and was associated with the supernatural. The metal container was pointed to the river and was moved downstream during the ceremony.

The ship shape is similar to the ship motifs on Sumatran textiles called tampan and pelapai. These are ceremonial cloths used during rites of passage. The ships symbolise the transitional aspect of the ceremony.

19th – early 20th century

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumatran Besihung 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, iron blade
Style: Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 9  cm, Handle: Width 15 cm (top), 8 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSSRC1

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Lampung, Sumatra.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumatran Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood
Style: Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 8 cm, Length 21  cm, Handle: Width 12 cm (top), 7 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSSRC2

Rice is the world’s most important crop and the staple food of half the world’s population. In most parts of Indonesia rice is the staple food. Rice cultivation is accompanied by many rituals and beliefs and the tools were decorated by the rice farmers or specialists.

The fields must be kept flooded while the plants are growing. Yellow-green shoots sprout up in the silvery water. The rice grows tall and green. When the tops droop, the plants are mature and ready to harvest.

Rice cutters were used to cut the ears of rice at harvesting time. They cut the ears of grain (padi) one by one very carefully, and tried not to lose any grains. They were then tied into bundles and stored in the granary.

They used the hand knife so that it did not hurt or frighten the rice or be offensive to the rice goddess. Now rice is harvested with a sickle, but some farmers still have a special field in the corner for traditional rice and harvest it with the hand knife.

The blade is missing.

Early – mid 20th century.

Girl going home after picking rice with an ani-ani in her hair (1935).

Map of Lampung, Sumatra.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumatran Rice Cutter Ani-Ani 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.